I would recommend DG, yes. The installer is Windows (runing Win11 atm) and it is fully documented as well. You can run Standalone or HG enabled. If HG enabled you can set the grid in the way no one could take stuff.
https://outworldz.com/outworldz_installer/Grid/
What you mean Vanilla or Desktop? It runs well on my Ryzen with 128 Ram.
But I would not install it on a USB Stick. Instead I always used a small 1 or 2 TB 2" external Disk. Room for years to come.
It is not yet runing 0.9.2.0 but we are using YEngine already to. I think 0.9.2.0 will be up in some month.
When you go to Dreamgrid Mewe there is a big community with great support. Even the maker of DG are there on a daily base.
Dont use SOAS anymore- no good

Cheers